Reviews of books, comics, movies, and other random stuff.

CONTEST: BOOM! Sampler Winner

"If winning Wizard's award for Best New Publisher didn't make them front and center of your buy pile, maybe my pleas will.You need to buy their books. One visit to the website will show this isn't some normal run-of-the-mill I have friends in comics operation. They're one of the few remaining operations that gives me hope for comics not heading down the same stale path as today's movies.Alright, I give up. They aren't the best new publisher in years. I just can't name another one that's better..."Congratulations to Rob of The Definite Maybe for his winning entry in our BOOM!…

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Crystal Ball: September 2006 Solicitations, Part I

Support GOOD Comics! Pre-order something new EVERY month. My monthly look at select comic books being solicited for release in September 2006. The full solicitations for DC, Marvel and Image are available at Comic Book Resources. Dark Horse's solicitations are available at Comics Continuum. Independent publishers will follow in a separate post. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your local comic book shop (LCBS) offers a pre-ordering service, download a convenient order form from Diamond and be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com]…

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On the Shelves: 6/21/06

Support GOOD Comics! Try something new EVERY month. My weekly look at select comic books being released Wednesday, 6/21/06. The full shipping is list available at ComicList. [NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com] PICK OF THE WEEK Fallen Angel #6APE ENTERTAINMENT Black Coat Call To Arms #3 (Of 4), $2.99 So much better than a black-and-white period piece with a throwback storytelling sensibility has any right to be, I can't…

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MARKETING: Superman Joins MySpace

The Superman Returns marketing onslaught continues... Man Of Steel Seeks Friends AN AMERICAN CULTURAL ICON HAS landed in the leading American social networking site with the posting of a MySpace profile to promote the new "Superman Returns," premiering June 28. By Thursday evening, just five days after the site quietly went live, the profile had attracted 12,719 MySpace "friends," many responding to the site's slogan, "Show us your 'S'," with photos of themselves striking the iconic shirt-ripping pose to reveal the well-known symbol--including at least one fan who had the "S" tattooed directly on his chest. The Web site also…

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Omar’s Random Thoughts: Wonder Woman & Metamorpho

Goddamn. Someone should write a review about Wonder Woman volume 3 number 1. That was a good read. Inner Fanboy enjoyed it very much.That fanboy zeal, of course, makes me worried that it's totally inaccessible to a new reader. Does Wonder Woman get new readers that don't know a lot about her to begin with?*****Does anyone else think it's funny that so many of us nerds were imprinted with Lynda Carter being the ideal woman? I mean, she was wearing an adult diaper.*****The other day, I was standing around thinking, "Do I know enough about Metamorpho?! Do I?!" I certainly…

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HYPE: Artesia

A proper review is forthcoming soon, but I couldn't contain my excitement about my latest, greatest discovery: Mark Smylie's Artesia. It's the perfect combination of compelling lead character, richly detailed setting and absolutely beautiful artwork that marks the best epic fantasy tales.I picked up Artesia: Besieged #1 on a lark last week, having enjoyed several of the other titles Smylie's Archaia Studio Press has recently released -- The Lone and Level Sands, Robotika and Mouse Guard -- and was totally captivated by it. I bought the first TPB, Artesia, last night and devoured it on the train ride home, not…

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POLL: Niche Comics Sites?

Thinking "aloud" here...NEWSarama and CBR have gobbled up two of the better group blogs out there recently, while peripheral niche sites like the Ninth Art are shutting down. Meanwhile, the sleeping giant, Wizard, is finally doing something with their web site, already snagging exclusive columns from Bendis and Johns, and likely becoming the new home for most Marvel and DC exclusives. How long before they start to siphon off some of NEWSarama and CBR's audience and firmly position themselves as one of the top three comics sites? Six months, tops?When I think of the other comics sites, including The Pulse…

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